Greg Abbott: Comes home to Wichita Falls today in governor race

Greg Abbott.....addresses group in Austin while campaigning for governor.

Bonnie Lane

Texas Attorney General and native son Greg Abbott returns home to Wichita Falls, Texas today Tuesday, Feb. 18 in his quest to become the first native of this North Texas city to serve as governor, according to Abbott's campaign office. As the top law enforcement officer for the Lone Star State, Abbott has staunchly defended the individual rights of Texas citizens all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in several areas.

His impressive record on gun rights includes championing on behalf of 31 states including Texas in the Supreme Court case of District of Columbia v. Heller which struck down a handgun ban and protected an individual's rights to bear arms. An avid hunter himself, he is a member of not only the National Rifle Association, but also the Texas Rifle Association. He is a strong defender of Second Amendment Rights.

Abbott further said that, "The right to bear arms was settled in 1792 when the Second Amendment was adopted to the United States Constitution."

Abbott has also distinguished himself in protecting the rights of Texans to religious freedom. He battled successfully all the way to and in front of the United States Supreme Court to allow a statue of the Ten Commandments to remain on the state capitol grounds in Austin. He also supported the cause of the Koontze Independent School District cheerleaders to write Bible verses on run-through banners used at football games.

Abbott, who only a few months ago appeared before an enthusiastic crowd at his boyhood home on Randel Drive in Wichita Falls, has frequently defended the rights of individuals to pray in Texas despite repeated attempts by secular groups from out of state to thwart those rights.

The Wichita Falls native was the only state attorney general in the nation to orchestrate the successful prosecution members of the polygamist Fundamentalist Latter Days Saint cult. Under his direction 11 members were convicted and sentenced to prison. The most notorious was FBI Most Wanted Warren Jeffs who was convicted by juries in West Texas of sexually assaulting underage girls. For that perverted behavior, he was sentenced to life plus 20 years in the Texas penitentiary system.

Members of the Wichita Falls office of the Child Protective Services and the Texas Department of Public Safety troopers participated in a raid of the FLDS compound in which valuable evidence and children were rescued based on a search warrant. After Utah and Arizona unsuccessfully prosecuted Jeffs, it was only the State of Texas under the leadership of Abbott that was able to send him to prison where he will not harm anymore children.

Abbott also has taken a strong stand on education in Texas. He has pledged to fight the proliferation of CSCOPE in the Texas public school system. CSCOPE depicted the Boston Tea Party patriots of the American Revolution as terrorists and also required students to design a socialist flag. Students were also required to dress up as Muslims.

As the top law enforcement officer in Texas, it is significant he has received the endorsement of CLEAT, a respected law enforcement organization across the state which many police officers in Wichita Falls have used.

Those interested in attending the Wichita Falls appearance of Abbott may obtain tickets online through Facebook. Rock star Ted Nugent will accompany Abbott during his visit to Wichita Falls today.

People may also obtain tickets to the event by contacting the campaign office of Greg Abbott.

The Republican primary will be held March 4.

Early voting continues through Feb. 28.

Abbott and Nugent will appear at the 8th Street Coffeehouse at 710 Eighth. He was scheduled to make an appearance in Denton Tuesday morning. His appearance at the Coffehouse was originally scheduled from 2:45 p.m. until 4 p.m. CST.

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Edward Lane graduated from Midwestern State University with a bachelor's degree in history and Baylor University School of law with a juris doctorate degree(law) before passing the Texas Bar Exam and being licensed as an attorney in Texas. A prosecutor for 29 years handling murder, child abuse, drug and sexual assault cases, he lost only one felony jury trial. Prior to attending law school Edward worked as a reporter for the Wichita Falls Times and Record News. Contact Edward at maxed49@aol.com.